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IAAF responds to Tallent's doping concerns

Roje Adaimy

Athletics' world governing body is set to consider calls to ban top Russian coach Viktor Chegin following an online campaign led by Australian race walker Jared Tallent.

Three-time Olympic medallist Tallent has used social media to voice his concerns about Chegin, who he claims has had 16 of his athletes banned for doping.

The most recent was world and Olympic 20km race walk champion Yelena Lashmanova, who late last week was suspended for two years after testing positive for the drug GW1516.

"@iaaforg are losing integrity by allowing Viktor Chegin to continue coaching. WR holder Lashmanova is now his 16th banned doper #banchegin," Tallent posted on Twitter, before listing the athletes' names.

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The 29-year-old has also expressed concerns about former champion Sergey Morozov, who was given a life ban for breaking anti-doping regulations in 2012 but was recently pictured working as an accredited staff member for the Russian team at last month's World Race Walking Cup.

IAAF vice president and pole vault great Sergey Bubka on Wednesday responded to Tallent, thanking the Australian for his messages and "for putting forward to myself your concern about the doping case of Russian walkers".